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Suit claims Migos caused violent 2015 riot

Armory's owners bring action against rap act

Screen grab from cellphone video shared on Youtube of the fight which broke out during the Saturday, March 7, 2015, Migos concert at the Washington Avenue Armory in Albany. (aj greggs/Youtube)

Screen grab from cellphone video shared on Youtube of the fight which broke out during the Saturday, March 7, 2015, Migos concert at the Washington Avenue Armory in Albany. (aj greggs/Youtube)

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Screen grab from cellphone video shared on Youtube of the fight which broke out during the Saturday, March 7, 2015, Migos concert at the Washington Avenue Armory in Albany. (aj greggs/Youtube)

Screen grab from cellphone video shared on Youtube of the fight which broke out during the Saturday, March 7, 2015, Migos concert at the Washington Avenue Armory in Albany. (aj greggs/Youtube)

Suit claims Migos caused violent 2015 riot

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ALBANY — The operators of the Washington Avenue Armory are suing the Atlanta-based rap trio Migos, charging the group incited a 2015 riot at which six people were stabbed.

Meanwhile, a concertgoer is suing the band and the facility for what he said were severe facial injuries suffered in the melee.

The legal action comes nearly three years after the March 7, 2015, show at the venue at 195 Washington Ave. New York has a three-year statute of limitations for plaintiffs to file personal injury and property damage lawsuits.

In court documents, operators of the Armory charge that Migos showed up hours late, reeked of marijuana and booze and blew off a meet-and-greet with fans who paid a surcharge to meet the trio.

"During the defendants' performance the defendants encouraged fans to fight, 'give them hell' and kick ass," stated the lawsuit filed by the Albany Basketball & Sports Corporation, the parent organization of the Armory.

"Rather than attempting to dissuade the crowd from fighting, Migos and/or their agents, servants and employees were heard encouraging, cheering and inciting the patrons to fight," said the lawsuit, which was filed in state Supreme Court in Albany. "As a result of the defendants' actions, a brawl erupted and numerous patrons were injured."

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The suit said Migos "caused patrons to be stabbed, robbed, beaten, severely harmed, and injured as the defendants continued to incite a select group of individuals to continue the onslaught of attacks, assaults, and destruction of the premises."

And despite the severity of the incident, the suit said, "the defendants were seen laughing and egging the crowd on as metal gates were ripped from the ground and thrown into the crowd."

The suit also named "John Does 1 through 5 whose names are presently unknown, individually and/or as agents, servants, and or employees of the musical group Migos."

When the Albany Patroons of the Continental Basketball League folded in 2009, the Armory's operators looked to concerts and rave-style dance parties to make revenue to pay the overhead associated with running the 19th-Century building.

Joe Bonilla, a spokesman for the Armory, said in a statement: "The significant, unfortunate actions by Migos ... have led to considerable business disruption to the Washington Avenue Armory and its parent, the Albany Basketball and Sports Corporation.

"The unwarranted negative media attention and subsequent government actions against the Armory stemming from the event has placed an undue burden upon the Armory's operations and its ability to attract programming," Bonilla continued. "Therefore, on the eve of the three-year anniversary of that fateful concert, the Armory is taking this important action to remedy the losses incurred from and arising from that event."

The Armory wants to recover an unspecified amount for "property, personal, breach of contract, economic, loss of income, and loss of business and further damages to be determined," according to the suit, which was first reported Monday by The Alt.

The concertgoer, Sharome Ross of Albany, sued the band and the Armory, saying the venue's operators should have been aware Migos had a reputation for attracting a belligerent fan base, was likely to be late and presented a danger to the audience.